Luís Terra Ferreira

Electrical and mechanical engineers often work side by side—but not together. Design misalignment, late discoveries, and endless re-spins don’t come from lack of skill—they come from disconnected workflows. In our latest Wevolver article, Altium's Filipa de Melo Sofio explores how breaking down ECAD–MCAD silos helps teams design faster, reduce errors, and build confidence across disciplines. Read the full article to see how modern hardware teams are turning collaboration into true co-creation. Read the article here: https://bit.ly/4oj7hdp #altium #wevolver #ECAD #MCAD #cocreation

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Electronic Load for Parameter Characterization in Equivalent Circuit Models of Lithium-Ion Batteries Suelen Bampi 1,* , Gierri Waltrich 1 , Anderson Vaccari 2 1Federal University of Santa Catarina, Postgraduate Program in Electrical Engineering, Florianopolis - SC, Brasil. 2Vale S.A, Development and Innovation Sector, Vila Velha - ES, Brasil ABSTRACT -The applications and implemented volume of lithium-ion batteries have been gaining momentum each year. Aiming to contribute to the development of research in this area, this paper presents the design and implementation of an electronic load focused on characterizing parameters inherent to equivalent circuit models (ECM). ECMs are commonly applied for estimating the State of Charge (SoC), State of Health (SoH), and Remaining Useful Life (RUL) of lithium batteries. In this paper, an electrical design of an electronic load was implemented and validated through laboratory instrumentation to obtain characteristic data from a lithium titanate cell. The data from the tests performed on the cell were used as input for a SoC estimation algorithm based on the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) to help corroborate the prototype's performance. The results comprise the performance of the electronic load, the results associated with the parameterization tests of the lithium cells, and the results obtained for the cell’s SoC estimation using the EKF. VIEW FULL PAPER: https://lnkd.in/dkgdPJNE

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[ebook] Design Power Conversion Controls Faster with Simulink 🚀 Ready to level up your power conversion design game? 🔧💡 Simulink is your secret weapon to fast-track digital controller designs, ensuring your power converters can handle anything from fluctuating loads to complex feedback loops. 💪✨ Model, simulate, and test before diving into hardware, all while staying ahead of the game with top-notch control algorithms. 🧑‍💻🔌 Want to dive deeper? 📚 Grab our ebook for the insider tips.: https://hubs.ly/Q03F-M8n0 🚀👨‍🏫 Bonus: Check out our Electrification webinar series that'll supercharge your design skills even further: https://hubs.ly/Q03F-JZf0 #TechSourceSystems #MATLAB #ebook #PowerConversion #Simulink #DigitalControl #ControlSystems #Electrification #EngineeringDesign #ModelBasedDesign #PowerElectronics

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Embedded systems do not live only on our desks—they power devices in the field, often in locations where physical debugging is not feasible. This is where remote debugging becomes essential! Why is remote debugging crucial? - Reduces costly field visits  - Speeds up troubleshooting & issue resolution  - Ensures high firmware quality over time  - Enables proactive monitoring for large fleets In our latest DevAcademy exercise, “Exercise 4 - Remote Debugging with Memfault”, we explore how to use Memfault to debug deployed devices remotely, gaining real-time insights into system performance and failures. What we cover in the exercise: - Setting up a Memfault account and integrating it with an nRF Connect SDK project - Collecting and analyzing diagnostic data  - Simulating firmware crashes and debugging with full system state snapshots - Explore Cellular, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth LE transports to send diagnostic data   Memfault’s SDK, deeply integrated with our nRF Connect SDK, empowers engineers to fix issues before users even notice them—from development to production. Ready to level up your debugging skills? #RemoteDebugging #ZephyrRTOS #NordicDeveloperAcademy #nRFConnectSDK

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Automotive Cybersecurity This may be one of the hottest topics in the industry, primarily because the UN R155 regulation has become mandatory, and consequently, ISO 21434 is also becoming obligatory in order to comply with that regulation. There are many challenges in automotive cybersecurity, mainly, how to protect something that is widely accessible to the general public. On one hand, there's that broad exposure, and on the other hand, there's a global shortage of skilled professionals. Modern vehicles today are complex assets that combine both IT and OT. This means you need to consider cloud infrastructure, software, web, and networks on one side, and hardware, firmware, and sensors on the other. To cover all of this, a multidisciplinary team is needed, one that understands security by design, security throughout the software development lifecycle, penetration testing, and even safety aspects when working with the OT side. From a technical perspective, embedded engineers are often unaware of the problems that can be caused by using standard functions like memcpy. While some might claim it's obsolete, in reality, it's still widely used. Engineers often resort to shortcuts; not because they lack knowledge, but because they're under pressure. In addition to low-level programming errors, another critical issue is access to the CAN network, especially from infotainment systems. An attacker can override the CAN bus and send high-priority messages directly from the infotainment unit. Even more concerning are aftermarket systems, which are often poorly tested or not tested at all, and are installed simply to provide more features. Moreover, in 2023, the highest volume of attacks targeted telematics systems i.e., remote attacks, showing just how unprepared the industry is for what lies ahead. In the future, and already today, cars will become increasingly digitalized. Every new feature increases the attack surface. Therefore, this issue will need to be taken seriously, because with the popularization of any technology comes the popularization of its darker side as well.

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ISO-TP: Multi-frame communication In embedded automotive systems, raw CAN frames aren’t enough when it comes to diagnostics, flashing, or infotainment communication. That’s where ISO 15765-2 (CAN TP) steps in—layering transport protocol logic over CAN to enable structured, multi-frame data exchange. 🔍 What is CAN TP? CAN TP (Transport Protocol) enables transmission of large payloads (up to 4 KB) over CAN’s 8-byte frame limit using segmentation and flow control. 🚍 Frame Types in CAN TP: Single Frame (SF): For payloads ≤ 7 bytes First Frame (FF): Starts multi-frame transmission Consecutive Frame (CF): Carries segmented data Flow Control (FC): Receiver’s response to manage pacing Key ISO-TP Frame Types: 1️⃣ Single Frame (SF) For messages ≤ 7 bytes. Entire message fits in one CAN frame. 2️⃣ First Frame (FF) Initiates messages > 7 bytes. Contains initial data + total message length. Notifies receiver to expect multiple frames. 3️⃣ Consecutive Frame (CF) Sends the remaining message sequentially. Includes a sequence number for correct reassembly. 4️⃣ Flow Control (FC) Sent by the receiver to control transmission rate, block size, and spacing between frames. Prevents buffer overflow and ensures smooth communication. ⚙️ Real-Time CAN TP in Action: 🧠 Dynamic segmentation and reassembly logic 🧹 Memory-safe buffer handling with debug logs ⏱️ Timing control for STmin and block size 📊 Real-time decoding of CAN TP frames for UDS services like ReadDataByIdentifier, RequestDownload, and TransferData Here’s a snapshot of a real CAN TP flow: Code [Tx] FF: 10 14 2F 01 00 00 ... [Rx] FC: 30 00 14 [Tx] CF: 21 00 00 00 ... [Tx] CF: 22 AA BB CC ... 🔐 Why It Matters: CAN TP is foundational for: 🔄 UDS Flashing and Diagnostics 📡 Enables reliable multi-frame communication in ECU diagnostics and flashing. Ensures data integrity for large messages. Mastering CAN TP means mastering the language of embedded diagnostics. #EmbeddedSystems #CANTP #ISO15765 #AutomotiveDiagnostics #UDS #CANProtocol #FirmwareUpdate #RealTimeSystems #Telematics #CProgramming #ProtocolDesign #CANBus #ISO_TP #AutomotiveEngineering #ECUFlashing #UDS

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😪 Spike Noise in Buck Converter Rails – But the Black Sheep Hides Behind! 🐑🎭 🔍 Problem: Your buck converter shows low ripple, but unexpected spike noise appears on the power rail. You checked the converter – it's clean. So, who’s the black sheep? 🧐 ⚡ The Hidden Culprit: 🔹 The 24 MHz oscillator is injecting high-frequency noise into the power rail. 🔹 Buck converters handle low-frequency ripple, but not high-frequency switching noise. 🔹 This noise sneaks into other circuits, causing EMI issues, unstable clocks, and data errors. ✅ The Fix – Power Line Filter Adding an LC filter at the oscillator’s power input eliminates the problem: ✔️ Inductor (L) ≈ 4.7 µH 🌀 Blocks high-frequency noise ✔️ Capacitor (C) = 1 µF ⚡ Absorbs and smooths voltage 🎯 Results: 🚀 No more hidden noise! The power rail stays clean, and your system runs smoothly. 🔎 Moral of the story? Even with a perfect buck converter, always check what’s hiding in the noise! 🔦 #PowerIntegrity #BuckConverter #OscillatorNoise #Filtering #SignalIntegrity #PCBDesign #EMI #EmbeddedSystems #Electronics #HardwareDesign

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✨ I’m excited to share that my journal article “Dual-Level Fault-Tolerant FPGA-Based Flexible Manufacturing System” has been published in MDPI 🥹🎉 📄 Read it here: https://lnkd.in/dEsdBsHN This paper represents months of work and late nights exploring how to keep Flexible Manufacturing Systems running smoothly even when machine controller failed. By combining FPGA-based fault tolerance at the machine level with smart supervision at the production line level, we were able to build a more resilient and reliable system. Some of the tools that helped bring it all together: 🔧 FPGA with reconfigurable logic 🧠 System modeling with Petri Nets 📊 Performance validation using SHARPE, Riverbed, and Matlab Honestly, this project challenged me in all the best ways. I’m so grateful for everyone who supported me through it Prof. Hassanien Amer and Dr. Ramez Daoud ❤️ I would love to hear your thoughts if you give it a read 🤗 #Research #FPGA #FaultTolerance #FlexibleManufacturing #EmbeddedSystems #SmartIndustry #SystemsEngineering #AcademicLife #WomenInSTEM

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Explore the Future of High Voltage SiC Modules with Hitachi Energy! 🌟 Discover the groundbreaking HV SiC LinPak module by Hitachi Energy, designed to tackle challenges in chip and package assembly while ensuring reliability in harsh applications. This innovative module allows converters to switch at frequencies up to 20x higher than traditional Si IGBT modules, maximizing efficiency and performance. Dive into the world of advanced power electronics and see how Hitachi Energy is shaping the future of sustainable energy solutions. 👉 Find out more in our newest Whitepaper: https://lnkd.in/eU8t8X7S #HitachiEnergy #SiCModules #PowerElectronics #Innovation

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🔋⚙️ How Hybrid Vehicles Really Work As embedded engineers, we don’t just see a hybrid vehicle as “engine + battery”. We see a real-time distributed control system managing energy, safety, and performance simultaneously. A hybrid vehicle combines: 🚗 Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) ⚡ Electric Motor 🔋 High-Voltage Battery 🧠 Multiple ECUs connected via CAN / Automotive Ethernet But the real intelligence lies in the control strategy. 🧠 1️⃣ Energy Management Algorithm The Hybrid Control Unit (HCU) continuously decides: When to run in EV mode When to start the combustion engine When to combine both power sources When to activate regenerative braking This decision is based on: State of Charge (SOC) Vehicle speed Driver torque request Battery temperature Emission constraints All processed in real-time. ⚙️ 2️⃣ Power Electronics & Control The inverter controls the electric motor using: PWM strategies Field-Oriented Control (FOC) Torque control loops This requires: High-frequency control (µs range) Functional safety compliance (ISO 26262) Deterministic embedded software 🔄 3️⃣ Regenerative Braking Strategy During braking: The motor acts as a generator Kinetic energy is converted to electrical energy Brake blending ensures smooth transition between hydraulic and regenerative braking This requires tight coordination between: Brake ECU Motor Control ECU Battery Management System (BMS) 🔌 4️⃣ Battery Management System (BMS) The BMS ensures: SOC estimation (OCV / EKF methods) Cell balancing Thermal management Over-voltage / under-voltage protection Without robust embedded software, the system is unsafe. 🏗 5️⃣ Hybrid Architectures Different topologies exist: Series Hybrid Parallel Hybrid Power-Split Hybrid 🚀 Why This Matters for Embedded Engineers Hybrid vehicles are a perfect example of: Real-time control systems Model-Based Design (MBD) AUTOSAR architecture Functional Safety Cybersecurity It’s not just about mobility. It’s about software-defined powertrain systems. #EmbeddedSystems #HybridVehicle #AutomotiveEngineering #BMS #ISO26262 #PowerElectronics #ModelBasedDesign #EVTechnology

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💯 Embedded Systems: The Hidden Brains Behind Modern Technology Have you ever wondered what makes your washing machine run its cycles automatically, or how your car’s engine is so precisely controlled? That’s the power of Embedded Systems. 🔹 An Embedded System is a combination of hardware and software, designed to perform a dedicated function with efficiency, reliability, and often real-time constraints. From microcontrollers in home appliances to sophisticated processors in aircraft systems, embedded technology powers the devices we use every day. 📌 Key Takeaways from Embedded System Basics Components: Hardware (processors, timers, memory, I/O) + Software (application + RTOS) Constraints: Limited memory, processor speed, and low power usage Classifications: Small Scale (8/16-bit MCUs, battery-operated devices) Medium Scale (16/32-bit MCUs, DSPs, RTOS) Sophisticated (scalable/configurable processors, high complexity) Applications: Automotive, aerospace, medical, consumer electronics, telecom, and more ⚡ In today’s world, every smart device is an embedded system in disguise. As engineers, our challenge is to balance performance, cost, energy efficiency, and reliability—to design systems that don’t just work, but last. 👉 What’s the coolest embedded system you’ve worked on or come across? #EmbeddedSystems #Electronics #Microcontrollers #Engineering #Innovation

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🧩 Post 5: The V-Model – Backbone of ISO 26262 Development When building safe automotive systems, you don’t just “design and test.” You design with verification in mind from the beginning. That’s where the V-Model comes in. 📐 The V-Model = A structured way to link what you build to how you test it. 🔽 Left Side: Define & Design     Item Definition – What’s the system and its purpose?     Hazard & Risk Analysis – What can go wrong?     Functional Safety Concept – What must it do to stay safe?     Technical Safety Concept – What will the hardware/software do to enforce safety?     System Design – Build it! 🔼 Right Side: Test & Validate     Integration Testing – Does the system behave as expected?     Safety Validation – Do safety goals hold up in the real world?     HW/SW Unit Tests – Does each block work properly?     Requirement Tracing – Was everything safety-relevant implemented?     Safety Case – Can we prove the system is safe? 🚘 Example: Brake-by-Wire System     Left side: Define safe braking logic, redundancy, diagnostics     Right side: Simulate brake failure, test fallback, validate safe stopping 🧠 Why it matters: The V-Model ensures you don’t just test what works — you test what matters to safety. 💬 How does your team link design and validation? Let’s discuss. #ISO26262 #FunctionalSafety #VModel #SystemDesign #SafetyValidation #ECUDevelopment #AutomotiveEngineering #DigitalToolsmith

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